The invention relates to an electric stimulator for providing electrical stimulation to a living body, and more particularly, to a technique for displaying various waveforms such as a result of analysis of an electrical waveform output from a defibrillator.
Devices, such as a defibrillator or low-frequency therapy equipment, have hitherto been utilized in the field of medical care as electric stimulators for providing electrical stimulation to a living body.
Japanese Patent Publication No 2001-245992A (corresponding to U.S. Patent Application Publication 2002/0022867A1) discloses a technique characterized by an electrical circuit capable of outputting a multiphasic waveform as a waveform of electric stimulation output from a defibrillator.
The defibrillator is a device for resuscitating the heart of a patient whose heart is fibrillating by providing electrical stimulation (electric energy) to the patient. When the patient's heart has changed to fibrillation, the defibrillator must be capable of being put into operation immediately and providing electrical stimulation (i.e., electric energy) at an appropriate timing. For this reason, maintenance is required to ensure that the defibrillator is capable of outputting desired electrical stimulation even when not used for actual treatment.
When the defibrillator is used for actual treatment, it is desirable to be able to verify that an operation for outputting electrical stimulation is normal, during or after treatment.
Such a necessity also applies not only to the defibrillator, but also to another electric stimulator which provides electrical stimulation to a living body.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 54-112589A discloses a defibrillator which displays an output voltage waveform applied to a living body (cf., page 2, upper right column, lines 40-41 and FIG. 3). This technique enables checking of a voltage waveform output to the living body. However, specific values, such as electric energy, resistance existing between electrodes, and a time period during which the electric energy has been supplied, are unknown. Hence, there is no way of knowing whether or not an electric pulse applied to the patient in defibrillation is appropriate